Movable suspension frame



.Nov. 28, 1939. F, MADDEN I 2,181,406

MOVABLE SUSPENSION FRAME File d April 5, 1958 INVENTORT ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov; 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

MOVABLE SUSPENSION FRAME Frank E. Madden, Oakland, Calif.

application April 5, 1938, Serial N0.'200,113

4 Claims.

The present invention relatesto movable suspension frames by means of which various types of apparatus can be mounted in such a manner as to be made readily accessible for inspection and repair. p

The invention may be embodied in installations covering a wide range of use, and is not to be construed as limited to association with any particular form of apparatus. herein, ,for purposes of illustration only, as de signed for the suspended mounting of auxiliary apparatus beneath the frame of a railway car, for

which use it is especially suitable.

Auxiliary apparatus, such for example as air conditioning ice engines, as used on railway cars, are usually mounted under the frame of the car, but must be-suspended in such a manner that they can be drawn out to an accessible position for inspection, servicing, and repair. The side sills of the car extend down below the fioor structure, so that when the auxiliary apparatus is mounted low enough to clear the bottom of the side sill, it hangs some distance below the floor. This is objectionable, not only because it restricts the permissible height of the auxiliary apparatus, but also because the relatively long suspension frame permits excessive vibration of the apparatus.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a suspension frame which permits the suspended apparatus to be moved both vertically and horizontally, so that, in the case of apparatus suspended beneath a railway car for example, it can be lowered to clear the side sill of the car and drawn out beyond the side of the car for servicing, and then moved back under the car and raised to operative position close to the floor structure and above the bottom of the side sill. Another object of the invention is to provide a suspension frame of the described type which is easy to operate and which is strong and rigid enough to hold the suspended apparatus securely in either operating or servicing position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent by the following description, which should be read with the understanding that changes, within thescope of the claims hereto appended, may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation. with certain parts in section, of a movable suspension frame, showing It will be described the suspended apparatus in extended or servicing position, the suspension frame being mounted beneathl th .under-frame of a railway car.

Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the suspended apparatus in operative or retracted position.

Fig. 3 is a section taken principally on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the suspended apparatus being shown in elevation.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 4 designates a box or housing inclosing an apparatus which is to be movably suspended beneath a railway car. The details of said apparatus form no part of the invention and have been omitted from the drawing. 5 is a portion of the longitudinal center'sill of a car, 6 is one of the side sills, l is the lower portion of the side sheathing of the car, and 8 is the floor line. I

There are two spaced and oppositely arranged suspension frames, one at each side of the suspended housing 4. Said frames are identical in construction, and therefore only one has been shown in the drawing. Each frame comprises a fixed horizontal angle member 9 having its inner end secured to the center sill 5 and extending out to and having its outer end secured beneath the side sill 6. Vertical brackets I I] extend downwardly from the member 9 and support a lower horizontal fixed member ll, whose inner end is secured to the center sill 5.

An inclined rising track member I2, Fig. 1, preferably of channel section, has its inner endpivoted at l3 to the fixed portion of the frame near the center sill 5, and extends outwardly to about the side of the car, its outer end resting upon a lifting screw or jack H which is threaded through a nut l5 welded to the lower fixed member H. A folding track member l6, also preferably of channel section, is hinged at ii to the front end of the rising track I2, and extends out horizontally therefrom. A diagonal tension brace l 8 pivotally connected at I 9 with the folding track l6 and secured to the upper frame member 9 by a removable bolt 20, supports said folding track in its extended position shown in Fig. 1.

' The apparatus housing 4 has rollers 2| which travel upon the tracks l6 and I2. When said housing is in accessible servicing position, extended beyond the side I of the car, the rollers 2| rest upon the folding track [6, as shown in Fig. 1. When it is desired to shift said housing to its concealed position beneath the car, it is pushed inwardly, its rollers traveling up the rising track l2 until the rear roller encounters a fixed stop 22, which limits its inward movement.

icing.

The rising track I2 is then elevated to horizontalthe weight oil? the screw M. A bolt 24 holds saidblock in place, and also holds a stop 25 which is placed in front of the forward roller 2 l. The bolt 20, Fig. 1, at the upper end of the brace I8, is removed and the folding track It is swung downwardly and rearwardly to theposition shown in Fig. 2, in which position it is held by fastening the free end of the brace Hi to a lug 26.

It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the top of the housing 4 is above the bottom of the side sill 6, this elevated position being achieved partly by the rollers 2| running up the inclined rising track l2, and partly by raising said-track to horizontal position by means of the screw Id. The housing 4 is thus suspended under the floor 8 and closer thereto than would be possible if it were permitted to have only horizontal movement. When in extended position, shown in Fig. 1,.the housing is almost entirely outside the side line of the car, where its interior apparatus is accessible for serv- I claim:

1. Means for movably supporting an object comprising a fixed frame, a track member having one end pivotally connected with said frame, a screw carried by said frame and engaging the other end of said track member to move it from inclined to horizontal position, an extension movably connected with the last mentioned end of said track member and forming therewith a continuous track on which the object is movably supported, said extension being retractable away from its continuous track forming position.

2. Means for movably supporting an object beneath a railroad car, said car having a floor and an underframe with a side sill extending downwardly below said fioor, said means comprising a track member having a portion mounted on said underframe for vertical movement beneath the floor of the car, said track member having a second portion movably connected with the first portion for extension beyond and retraction within the vertical plane of said side sill, said portions forming a track on which the object is supported for traveling movement from an accessible position outside said side sill to a retracted position inside said side sill with the top of said object above the bottom'of said sill.

-3. Means for movably supporting an object beneath a railway car, said car having a floor and an underframe with a center sill-and a side sill extending downwardly below said fioor, said means comprising a bracket secured to said underframe, a track member having its inner end pivotally connected with said bracket, the outer end of said track member being vertically movable, a second track member movably connected with the first track member as an aligned extension thereof, said second track member being movable to a retracted position beneath the car, and said track members when in alignment forming a. continuous movable track for supporting the object and upon which it may be moved from an accessible position outside said side sill to a retracted position beneath the floor of the car between said center and side sills.

4. Means for supporting an object beneath a railway car, comprising a frame fixedly mounted beneath the floor of the car, a track member havingits inner end pivotally mounted on said frame and its outer end vertically movable, a second track member aligned and pivotally connected with the outer end of the first track membet for swinging movement from a substantially horizontal position extending outwardly beyond the side of the car to a retracted position beneath the first track member, said track members forming, when the second track member is extended, a continuous track on which the object is supported for movement from an accessible position outside the side of the car to a retracted position beneath the floor thereof, the vertical movement of the outer end of the first track member causing the retracted object to be elevated to a position in proximity to said floor, and means for supporting said outer end in its elevated position.

FRANK E. MADDEN. 

